Work is due to begin on the Pompeii Sustainable Preservation Project in 2014, conserving the treasured remains of the ancient Roman city. Buried under 4m-6m of volcanic ash and lava when the nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD, Pompeii became a renowned site for archaeological excavation hundreds of years later with large-scale excavation works emerging in the 18th century.

Pompeii was once a thriving Roman city with a population of 20,000 and a number of architectural highlights including a water system, amphitheatre, gym and a port. Structural sections of Pompeii’s architecture have been removed from the site and preserved in museums around the world however there are many remaining portions of the city of architectural significance which are visibly disintegrating.

A team of experts including the Technische Univesitat Munchen, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property will soon embark upon the Pompeii Sustainable Preservation Project which will stretch over ten years. The group will use simple, traditional materials such as lime and silicone compounds to stabilise the structures and conserve a range of elements from entire walls to elaborate murals.